Sword of the Gods, Shield of the Mortals
by Skyelyr Shepard
Summary: "Tell me the story of The Shepard again, papa," the little boy begs. The man smiles and raises his eyes to the starry night sky. "Only if you promise to listen carefully..." he laughs. "I will." says the boy solemnly. The man raises his hand to the sky. "There is much unknown about Her. But it is well known we wouldn't be here without Her. And never shall we forget Her."


In the ages before time, only the Gods existed. They were strong, proud creatures and valiantly opposed a solitary ruler of their universe. So conflict ensued. It was after a long and bloody struggle that one god, Temperance, came forward. He proposed if none of the gods could rule alone, they should all rule jointly. Another god, called Diplomacy, agreed but wished that they each be ruler of a unique domain. So then began time, space, and science, as the god Order saw fit. So then began love, happiness, and friendship, as the god Vow saw fit. So then began wisdom, intelligence and cunning, as the god Knowledge saw fit. So then began justice, mercy and forgiveness, as the god Temperance saw fit. And so then began trust, aspiration and peace, as the god Diplomacy saw fit. And all was good.

But the creatures under the gods' care did not obey these rules of the universe. They schemed and deceived and murdered and the gods were angry. So then began the Reapers, the anti-gods. They trusted no one, acted without mercy, killed innocents and non-innocents alike, lacked any individual intelligence or love, and defied the laws of time. They were the gods' reaction to the corruption of mortals. They were the only way to protect the most sacred of laws of the universe.

Over time, the anti-gods grew powerful. They absorbed the traits of those they purged, and through the species they killed, they learned many things. The anti-gods grew greedy. They lusted always for more strength and more violence. The gods saw this and were worried.

_Perhaps they have absorbed the mortal traits of greed and pride,_ Knowledge put forward.

The gods agreed the Reapers must be unmade. But the gods could not overcome the great evil of the anti-gods while they remained separate. So they created a mortal, a woman, per Vow's insistence, to contain the essence of each god, so that she may turn the forces of the mortals against the anti-gods. They called her Shepard.

_May she lead her flock to greener pastures, _they declared.

Then they placed their hands on her and blessed her. She awoke and saw the great peril in the universe around her and was moved to action. Through her great knowledge, she planned a device for the destruction of the reapers. Through her diplomacy, she cemented crucial alliances between hostile factions of mortals, so that all might face the great evil. Through her acts of temperance she gained the gratitude of many, and through her friendship and love she accomplished many tasks that would've proved impossible alone. She was the sword of the gods, a weapon of great beauty and cunning. All who saw her could not see her true origins, but unconsciously knew she was unique.

The gods watched her progress eagerly. They had underestimated the strength and tenacity of united mortal forces. Therefore, so had their counterparts, the anti-gods. Shepard's device was completed and the gods wondered at its purpose.

Then her voice spoke to them. Her device had contacted them, speaking to all of them at once, speaking of the greatness among the mortals. She spoke of the love she'd felt, the camaraderie she'd experienced, the discoveries they'd made, the mercy she'd experienced. There was great possibility for them she said. She pleaded to the gods to understand. The gods were moved by her pleas and agreed to help her once more.

They conferred amongst themselves.

_There is but one way, _Order said. _Shepard must become one of us. She will wield all power, even over dominions that we cannot comprehend due to our separation. _

_And what of us? _Diplomacy asked

It was Temperance who answered. _We will endure. And we will serve Shepard as she wills it. It is what the universe will demand of us. _

And so the gods reached to Shepard, the champion of the mortals, and told her of their plan. They were to lift her to the stars, they said. But her mortal body would be consumed in the process, they said.

And Shepard turned, with tears in her eyes, to gaze back at her mortal brothers and sisters. She saw those she had loved, those who had her admiration, trust and affection. And her gaze burned into the souls of all whom it fell upon. Then she turned back to the gods and accepted their offer.

And so Shepard, the woman, ceased to exist. Her mortal frame was no more, but her consciousness encompassed all that had been, all that was, and all that would be. The anti-gods were obliterated in her righteousness, and the wounded mortals healed through her compassion. The balance of the universe was restored and the gods were pleased.

And The Shepard remains ever vigilant, amongst the stars she calls her home.


End file.
